Night of Champions Review – 06.27.26

By Niz on 27 June 2026

Night of Champions comes to the Netflix and ESPN airwaves from The Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The announcing team for today’s show are Michael Cole and Corey Graves on match calls and analysis, Mark Nash on ring introductions, and Jackie Redmond and Byron Saxton on interviews and breaking news. There’s a lot on the line tonight so let’s watch some wrestling!

Then, Now, Forever…..TOGETHER

Arrivals: Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker, WWE Women’s Champion Liv Morgan and IYO Sky, Ricky Saints and WWE Men’s US Champion Trick Williams, Sami Zayn, GUNTHER, and WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes.

2026 King of the Ring Finals: Oba Femi vs Jey Uso

Uso’s entrance is over as hell, despite the “If Jey Wins, We Riot” sign in the crowd. Femi gets a gigantic pop as well. There’s some verbals before lock up and Femi eats some rights from Uso. Femi no-sells the last one and trucks Uso down. Femi wants to charge but Uso goes to the floor. Femi stalks him and drives Uso down before hoisting Uso up. Uso slips down and rams Femi into a ring post before crushing Femi with back to back tope suicidas. The third one ends with a huge Femi right hand. Femi returns and mashes Uso down with a shoulder breaker. Femi drives in a shoulder before ramming Uso across the ring into the turnbuckles. Femi does another irish whip and then lines up Uso. Femi goozles Uso but he slips away and nails Femi with an uppercut. Femi yanks Uso up for the Fall From Grace but Uso slips away again for some kicks. Uso ascends and hits the Uso Splash for one. Femi rises to chokeslam Uso for two.

Femi lines up Uso and runs into a superkick. Uso hits two more superkicks and then spears Femi before ascending. Uso hits another Uso Splash but he cannot make a cover and we reset. Uso ascends again for a third Uso Splash and that gets two. Uso slaps on a sleeper but Femi tosses Uso away. Femi mashes Uso with a couple of running uppercuts before yanking Uso up for a giant toss. Femi hits Fall From Grace and that finishes things.

Well, there you go. A lot of us had Jey Uso winning this through Lesnar-ference, but we clearly read the situation incorrectly because I would assume we’re getting the first ever meeting between Roman Reigns and Oba Femi at Summerslam. I thought Jey was solid here and threw everything he could at Femi, but Femi just will not be denied when he smells blood. A solid opener. 3.5*

Winner AND 2026 WWE King Of The Ring – Oba Femi (Fall From Grace)

Smackdown GM Nick Aldis hands Femi the crown, and Byron Saxton wants a word. Femi says Uso thought he was just fighting one man tonight, but you can’t beat Fate or Destiny, and you definitely cannot beat Femi. Femi says he’s One of One, and you know what, go off, young man. Femi hits the pose while holding the crown.

Here’s Danhausen to say that he’s enjoyed his visit to the Kingdom, and his newly won substantial amount of HUMAN MONIES…and here’s “Trouble” bringing out WWE Women’s Champion Liv Morgan. Morgan says Danhausen owes the Judgement Day money and if he doesn’t pay up, bad things are going to happen. Danhausen CURSES Morgan who slaps him in response.

2026 Queen of the Ring Finals: WWE Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs IYO Sky

Cole points out that Morgan is 2-0 in singles matches against Sky. Morgan gets pulled into a side headlock which she quickly reverses. Sky reverses and trucks Morgan down. Sky invites Morgan to bring it and then dumps her over with a hiptoss. Morgan snaps off a rana and then mashes Sky with a running knee. Morgan puts the boots to Sky and then stands on Sky’s jaw. Morgan gets tripped up and Sky blasts her with a basement dropkick. Sky misses a charge and Morgan gets dumped to the apron. Sky wants a sunset flip bomb through the ropes but Morgan holds on and kicks Sky down. Sky gets some love from the crowd and then hits a cross-body from the top of the barricade. Sky gets rammed into a ring post and Morgan pounces to toss Sky back in. Morgan blasts Sky with a rib kick and then blasts Sky with a boot to the face. Morgan hits a running knee and then yanks Sky up in a hangman’s choke. Morgan hits a springboard facebreaker and gets two.

Morgan goes to ground and pound before covering for two. Morgan kicks Sky right in the ass and then pulls her up for Three Amigos. Morgan shimmies and then fires off an enziguri that gets two. Morgan slaps away and then pulls Sky into a rear chinlock. Sky powers up and snapmares Morgan over. They slug it out and Sky starts firing off rights. Morgan grabs Sky’s hair and whips her to a corner but Sky lifts a boot when Morgan charges. Morgan catches a missile dropkick attempt and stomps away at her before pulling Sky into a Boston Crab. Sky rolls through and hits a double stomp on Morgan and we reset.

Sky hits some offense and then drops Morgan with a facebuster. Sky goes to the apron and yanks Morgan’s arm over the top rope. Sky ascends for a missile dropkick and nips up to a pop while doing her points-to-head taunt. Sky hits a Meteora and pulls Morgan into a cover that gets two. Sky gets caught in a Backstabber and Morgan runs into a right hand from Sky who’s on the floor. Sky ascends for a springboard moonsault and runs Morgan back in. Sky hits a double underhook backbreaker and covers Morgan for two. Sky ascends but Morgan shoves her down where Sky appears to land badly on the steps. Sky crawls back in and Morgan immediately slaps on a half-crab. Sky almost makes the ropes but Morgan drags her back to the center of the ring. Sky switches around and Morgan lets go of the hold. They slug it out again and Morgan goes to the knee. Sky hits an uppercut but her knee gives out when she tries to run the ropes. Morgan hits a springboard Codebreaker that gets two.

Morgan misses a charge and Sky pounds away from behind. Sky limps to a corner and ascends but misses her dropkick attempt. Sky’s knee buckles again and Morgan mashes Sky with a knee lift. Morgan ascends and yanks Sky up but it ends up with Sky hitting a Spanish Fly before ascending for the Over the Moonsault that finishes things.

I’m not the biggest Liv Morgan fan but she got through this with her trademark brand of goofy offense. I though IYO really did a nice job of selling and working from underneath while Morgan tossed whatever she could think of at Sky. There were some transition issues and not everything was clean but the crowd was into it and enjoyed Sky’s win. Sky selling the knee the whole way but then just ignoring it to get to the finish kind of threw me off a bit, but this was still decent overall. 3.25*

Winner AND 2026 Queen of the Ring – IYO Sky (Over the Moonsault)

Byron Saxton asks Sky how it feels to win the crown and Sky says she is THE QUEEN before telling Morgan that she’ll see her at Summerslam. I like that we just got that out of the way right now, so kudos to creative for picking a direction and getting going with it.

Cole and Graves introduce the Arabic announce team who are predictably stoked for the event.

Steel Cage match: Bron Breakker vs Seth Rollins

It’s escape rules as always. Rollins tosses a bunch of kendo sticks, some chairs, and two tables into the cage before Breakker’s entrance even begins. Breakker grabs some plunder of his own on the way in. Both guys take seats and Charles Robinson calls for the bell. There’s some verbals and they start throwing bombs. Breakker lifts a knee to cut off Rollins flurry and then catapults Rollins towards the cage. Rollins blocks it and springboards back onto Breakker with an elbow. Breakker fires up for some release Germans and then rams Rollins head first into the cage. Breakker starts throwing rights and then sends Rollins into the cage again. Breakker hoists Rollins up for a press slam-toss into the cage. Breaker decides on some kendo stick shots next before pulling up a chair. Breakker hits a side suplex on Rollins over the chair and covers him for two.

Breakker has a trash can and Rollins kicks him before he can use it. Breakker shakes it off and lawn darts Rollins into the cage. Breakker yanks Rollins up but Rollins slips off. Breakker hits a knee lift and runs into a Rollins powerbomb. They slug it out and Rollins wins the skirmish with some lariats. Rollins grabs a kendo stick for some batting practice on Breakker’s back. Rollins tosses Breakker into the cage a few times Rollins pulls on Breakker’s nose and then rams his head into the cage a bunch of times. Rollins hits a running forearm and decides it’s time to set up a table. Rollins props one up in a corner and Breakker wants a spear, but Rollins senses it and nails Breakker with a lariat. Rollins tosses some chairs at Breakker and then buries him in a pile of them. Rollins ascends with a chair in hand and Breakker springs up for some right hands. Breakker ascends and gets pushed down. Breakker springs up for a Frankensteiner that sees Rollins land on the pile of chairs. Breakker covers and gets two.

Breakker places Rollins arm over a chair and ascends. Breakker fires off a flying clothesline and covers Rollins for two. Breakker stands on Rollins neck and screams how he’s going to beat Rollins stubborness out of him. Breakker says Rollins is going to die and puts his head in a chair. Breakker misses his swing as Rollins escapes. Rollins hits a superkick and pulls up a chair. Rollins tosses the chair to Breakker and superkicks it. Rollins wants the stomp and Breakker springs up with his spear that gets two. Breakker grabs a table and sets it up before pulling Rollins up. Breakker mounts Rollins on the table and ascends. Breakker goes all the way to the top of the cage and Rollins springs up to chase him down. They meet at the top to slug it out and Breakker goes to the eyes. Rollins slips down and goes to Breakker’s eyes to stop him. Rollins yanks Breakker over and hits a superplex through the table. Breakker is busted open above his eye and Rollins rises first. Rollins lines up Breakker and runs right into a Breakker lariat. Breakker runs the ropes and spears Rollins for two.

Breakker goes for the door and Rollins grabs his boot to try to stop him. Breakker breaks loose but Rollins pulls him over the second rope with a rear chinlock. Breakker grabs the cage door to smash Rollins in the face. Breakker misses a charge and goes through a table. Rollins follows with the Pedigree and the Stomp and Breakker kicks out at two. Rollins wants another stomp and Breakker begs off, with Rollins stopping. Rollins ascends for an Avalanche Stomp and that ends things.

Yeah, I mean, a lot of us called this result in the preview and while I’ll never agree with this booking, I assume Rollins-Reigns is on the table for Summerslam for one of the main events depending on what they want to do with Oba Femi as King of the Ring. They went for epic here and I don’t think they got there. 3*

Winner – Seth Rollins (Avalanche Stomp)

WWE Men’s US Championship: Trick Williams (C) vs Ricky Saints

Lil Yachty is out with Trick. Saints attacks prior to the bell and starts firing off rights. Trick fires up with a lariat and gets to remove his excellent ring coat. Trick fires off some chops and misses a charge. Saints misses some punches and Trick fires off some nasty rights. Trick puts the boots to Saints and then yanks him up for a roundhouse back kick. Trick misses a charge and Saints bails to the floor. Trick takes Yachty’s kendo stick and then smacks the ring steps before tossing the stick back to Yachty. The ref turns and sees Saints writhing in pain, so he ejects Yachty. Saints springs off the ring steps with a forearm and then rams Trick into the ring steps. Saints fires Trick back in and drops an elbow and a knee. Saints goes to ground and pound and drives a knee into Trick’s ribs. Saints kicks Trick and then chops away. Trick fires up with some chops and Saints drops Trick during a rope run and covers him for two.

Saints rams Trick into a corner and then yanks him up for a running uppercut. Saints ascends for his shitty rope walk before dropping his crappy fist pound. Saints hits a Saito suplex and poses instead of covering. Saints hits a sunset flip and covers Trick for two. Saints hits a running kick and covers Trick for two. Saints kicks Trick in the back and drives a knee in. Saints pulls Trick over in a snap suplex and Trick responds with one of his own. We reset and rise to start slugging it out. Trick hits a couple leg lariats and a facebuster. Trick nips up and mashes Saints with a backhand before pulling Saints into a Bookend that gets two. Trick misses a charge and Saints hits a second-rope springboard clothesline to send Trick down. Saints hits a rolling neckbreaker and covers Trick for two.

Saints pulls Trick up but Trick flips him over. Trick fires up and we slug it out mid-ring. Trick hits a pump kick and Saints fires off a big right. Trick hits a neckbreaker and Saints kicks out at two. Trick drops his knee pad and misses his Trick Shot. Saints his his Revolution DDT and ascends for an elbow drop that gets two. Saints bullies Trick around and mashes him with a knee lift. Trick escapes and wallops Saints with the Trick Shot. Trick covers and gets three.

I don’t think many of us thought Saints was winning here but I guess he gave it all he has. Trick did what he could here but the crowd was mostly on their phones for a lot of this. Trick needs better dance partners than this. We could have done better here, is what I’m saying. 2.5*

Winner AND STILL WWE Men’s US Champion – Trick Williams (Trick Shot)

Post-match sees a returned Lil Yachty teeing off on Saints who was looking to attack Trick frrom behind. Trick encourages Yachty to hit the People’s Elbow and he does exactly that.

Roman Reigns will be on Raw on Monday night, and don’t forget it’s a 6 PM Eastern start time. Kat will have everyone covered shortly thereafter with THE BEST RAW REVIEW ON THE INTERNET.

WWE Women’s US Championship: Tiffany Stratton (C) vs Jade Cargill

Cargill is out alone to start. Stratton fires off a basement dropkick to start and then slips a Cargill charge. Stratton grabs a roll up for two and Cargill fires off a right. Stratton escapes from being hoisted and drops Cargill down for a Hip Attack along the ropes. Stratton tries a tope and Cargill catches her with a huge knee lift. Cargill tosses Stratton back in and misses a charge, but catches Stratton trying to leapfrog her. Cargill drops Stratton with a powerbomb and gets two. Cargill sends Stratton to the floor and goes out to smash her into the apron. Cargill rolls Stratton back in and fires her into a corner. Cargill does some pushups to show off a bit and then Stratton fires up with some rights. Cargill hits a Black Hole Slam and covers Stratton for two.

Cargill fires Stratton into a corner and puts the stink-mouth on her. Stratton fires up with some rights but Cargill cuts it off with a forearm. Stratton fires off a back elbow and some forearms before dropping Cargill with a lofted dropkick. Stratton hits a back handspring elbow and a basement dropkick that gets two. Stratton sends Cargill into a top turnbuckle off a rana, and then Stratton hits a rolling senton. Cargill gets the knees up on a moonsault attempt and then drops Stratton with a Sandstorm that gets two. Cargill wants Jaded but Stratton slips out of it. Cargill catches another dive and Stratton fires her down with a crucifix driver that gets two. Stratton pulls Cargill into position and ascends. Here’s B-Fab and Michin out to interfere and Cargill pulls Stratton into a chokeslam that gets two.

Chelsea Green charges out from under the ring and smashes B-Fab and Michin around. Cargill grabs Green by the hair and Stratton sneaks in for a roll up for two. Cargill pulls Green into the ring and stalks her in a corner before getting eyes on the belt. Charlotte Flair is here from outta nowhere to yank the belt away and blast Cargill in the face with it. Stratton hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever and that ends things.

We all called “overbooked nonsense” for this one and I think we were right. This never really got anywhere near great and barely scratched good for me, sadly. The crowd didn’t seem to care all that much and the match itself was clunky as heck. The overbooking saved it a bit at the end so they could get some highlights for the package, but you don’t need to seek this one out. 2.5*

Winner AND STILL WWE Women’s US Champion – Tiffany Stratton (Prettiest Moonsault Ever)

Summerslam is in FIVE WEEKS and Cole runs down what we know so far about the card which is that IYO Sky will challenge Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship, and Oba Femi will be picking who he’ll face.

Joe Tessitore, Big E, and Peter Rosenberg preview the post-show, and it’s time for the main event.

WWE Men’s Undisputed Championship: Cody Rhodes (C) vs GUNTHER vs Sami Zayn

Zayn emerges in traditional Arabic clothing and gets a heroes welcome from the crowd. “Kingdom” gets a huge sing-along as Rhodes makes his entrance. Mark Nash does in-ring intros and we’re off. They stop to take in the crowd who are fully engaged with this one. GUNTHER drops Zayn to the floor and then smashes Rhodes with a back elbow. Zayn flies back in and dumps GUNTHER to the floor when he charges. Zayn and Rhodes face off and Rhodes trucks Zayn down before dropping down for his right hand from the mat. Zayn grabs a side headlock and they run the ropes. GUNTHER pulls Zayn to the floor and rams him into the ring steps. Rhodes goes to the floor and tosses GUNTHER in. GUNTHER takes over with some chops and a right hand. GUNTHER drops an elbow on Rhodes face and then bullies Rhodes along the ropes. Zayn flies in and eats a GUNTHER chop before getting dumped again.

GUNTHER gets pulled into the corner by Rhodes but he fires up and sends Rhodes hard into the opposite corner. GUNTHER smashes Rhodes down and then fires a couple of knees into Rhodes midsection. GUNTHER chops Rhodes down and gets a one count. Zayn crawls back and GUNTHER waffles him with a chop. Zayn eats another chop and then backdropped hard to the mat by GUNTHER. Rhodes hits a Cody Cutter on GUNTHER and then starts firing right hands. Rhodes hits a snap powerslam on GUNTHER and a uranage on Zayn that gets two. Rhodes hits a double Cody Cutter on Zayn and GUNTHER and then mashes Zayn with a tope suicida. Rhodes wants a sunset flip on GUNTHER and gets two. GUNTHER pulls Rhodes over with a snap mare and then powerbombs Rhodes. Zayn breaks up the cover at two.

GUNTHER dumps Zayn to the floor and goes out with him. Zayn sends GUNTHER into the steps and then flies in to eat some Rhodes jabs. Zayn fires off a Blue Thunder Bomb and Rhodes kicks out at two. Zayn gees up the crowd and GUNTHER crotches Zayn while he was lining up the Helluva Kick. GUNTHER starts throwing bombs at Rhodes and then hoists him up on a top turnbuckle. Rhodes tries to fight back but GUNTHER ascends before Rhodes smashes him down. GUNTHER catches a Rhodes dive but Rhodes reverses to a CrossRhodes that gets two. Zayn yanks out the official before he can finish the count and gets the gas face from a pissed Rhodes. Rhodes wants Zayn to come back in and they start throwing bombs at each other. Rhodes misses a Disaster Kick and Zayn hits a brainbuster. GUNTHER breaks up the cover at two with a splash.

GUNTHER powerbombs Zayn and then Rhodes, but Zayn snaps GUNTHER over in a Destroyer that gets two. Zayn pounds away at GUNTHER’s head and then pulls him into position. Zayn ascends and misses a dive but GUNTHER misses his subsequent charge. Zayn hits a Helluva Kick and Rhodes yanks the ref out at two. Zayn and Rhodes battle it out on the floor and Rhodes clears the announce table. Zayn fires up and mashes Rhodes into the Arabic table before clearing that one off. Zayn pulls Rhodes onto the Arabic table and goes up with him. Zayn pulls Rhodes into a package piledriver but Rhodes breaks out of it and back body drops Zayn through the American announce desk.

GUNTHER flies out and powerbombs Rhodes through the Arabic table after the first one doesn’t break it. GUNTHER pushes Rhodes back in and slaps on the sleeper hold. Rhodes slowly rises and backdrops GUNTHER down. GUNTHER slaps the hold back on immediately and the ref checks Rhodes arm. Zayn leaps back in to prevent Rhodes arm from dropping and a disgusted GUNTHER pulls Zayn up for a huge slap. GUNTHER eats a Zayn slap in response and then Zayn plants GUNTHER with an Exploder. Zayn hits the Helluva Kick and GUNTHER kicks out at two. Zayn yanks GUNTHER up and immediately eats a monster lariat from GUNTHER. Rhodes flies onto the top rope for a Super Cody Cutter, and then wants to hit Cross Rhodes on Zayn. Zayn blocks it and runs right into a sleeper. Zayn reverses and Rhodes flies in to hit both of them with a CrossRhodes. Rhodes wants another CrossRhodes but Zayn rolls through and covers Rhodes for three.

There were some folks who thought this might happen. I was not one of them. I expect there will be a lot of banter about this result in the upcoming days and we’ll see how this plays out for Summerslam, but I am legit shocked at this result. Does that make it a good result? Zayn is a long-timer, and this will be his reward for that, but it’s really interesting to see what Hunter feels like he can get away with now knowing that the brand moves the tickets. 3*

Winner AND NEW WWE Men’s Undisputed Champion – Sami Zayn (roll up)

Zayn retreats up the ramp as GUNTHER and Rhodes look on in disbelief. Zayn predictably gets a huge pop from the Saudi crowd as the pyro goes off behind him. The credits roll as Zayn takes it all in before yelling that he’s been trying to win this title for ten years and finally accomplished it. Zayn celebrates with the crowd and we fade to black.

The opener was the best match of the evening, and everything else was what it was. The main event was a spectacle with a wildly unpredictable ending, but Hunter tried this kind of move with Jey Uso to mixed results, so we’ll see how this Zayn thing goes. This kind of tells me that it will be Roman-Oba Femi at Summerslam while perhaps we run this exact match back on the Smackdown side. I guess we’ll see. I’d call this show skippable but watchable if you choose to take it in.

Thanks for reading and commenting. Enjoy your evening.